Hurun releases Most Valuable Chinese Brands 2010

The total value of the Hurun Most Valuable Chinese Brands list was 70 per cent higher than last year's total, with no changes in position amongst the top four.

China Mobile topped the list for the fourth consecutive year with a brand value of US$39 billion, followed by ICBC, China Construction Bank and Bank of China with US$36 billion, US$27 billion and US$21 billion, respectively.

The threshold for inclusion on the list was US$370 million, US$180 million higher than last year.

China Merchants Bank made the top ten for the first time, at the expense of Moutai, a Chinese baijiu brand.

Tencent QQ and Baidu are the most valuable non-government-controlled Chinese brands, valued at US$6.8 billion and US$6.3 billion, respectively, overtaking last year’s number one Ping An in the process. Tencent QQ and Baidu, which were ranked 19th and 37th in 2006 and have risen in the rankings every year since.

Property, finance, alcoholic beverages and tobacco, apparel and consumer appliances account for 65 per cent of the most valuable Chinese brands. 21 brands were drawn from property, more than from any other sector and almost twice last year's number.

“The most telling trend is the rise of the property brands,” said Hurun Report founder and CEO Rupert Hoogewerf. “Property has become a kind of FMCG, with eight million units sold last year in China.”

Chinese brands are firmly focused on the domestic market, with only a handful having developed any significant brand recognition overseas. Consequently, Chinese companies are markedly investing more in domestic brand building. As the way in which Chinese brands market themselves becomes increasingly sophisticated and mature, the costs required for large scale marketing campaigns have grown accordingly.

Top 10 Most Valuable Chinese Brands 2010

* new to top ten